rave
n. · v.-
1 enthusiastic review (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Informala very positive review of a film, book, or performance.
an exceptionally positive or enthusiastic critical appraisal of a creative work.
ExampleThe new restaurant received rave reviews from every food critic in the city.
ExampleDespite the director's initial anxiety, the play opened to rave reviews that praised both the lead performance and the innovative stage design.
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2 dance party (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Musica large, all-night dance party with loud electronic music.
a large-scale dance party, often held in a warehouse or club, featuring electronic dance music and light shows.
ExampleThey spent the whole weekend at an outdoor rave in the woods.
ExampleThe local authorities were concerned about the safety of the unsanctioned rave being held in the abandoned industrial complex.
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3 to praise enthusiastically (v.) B2 Upper Intermediate Informalto talk about something with a lot of excitement and praise.
to speak or write about something with extreme enthusiasm or admiration; often used with 'about'.
ExampleMy sister wouldn't stop raving about the new movie she saw last night.
ExampleCritics continue to rave about the author's ability to weave complex historical facts into a compelling fictional narrative.
UsageUsually takes the preposition 'about'.
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4 to talk wildly (v.) C1 Advanced Literaryto talk in a wild, crazy, or angry way, often because of a fever or madness.
to speak irrationally or incoherently, as if in a state of delirium, madness, or extreme anger.
ExampleThe old man was raving about a hidden treasure that didn't exist.
ExampleIn his feverish state, the patient began to rave about events from his childhood that he had long since forgotten.
From Middle English raven (“to rave; talk like a madman”), from Old French raver, variant of resver, of uncertain origin. Compare rave below, and rove.
From northern Middle English raven, from Old Norse ráfa (“to wander, roam”), of uncertain and obscure origin. Perhaps from a dissimilation of Proto-Germanic wab(b)ōną (“to sway, waver, swing, shake, wobble, totter, reel, careen”), from Proto-Indo-European webʰ- (“to move, swarm, waft”). Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk rava (“to wander, be delirious”). Doublet of rove. Compare also Middle Dutch reven (“to utter nonsense, rave, be drowsy”) (whence modern Dutch revelen (“to rave, talk nonsense”), Middle Low German rēven (“to be crazy, think and talk nonsensically”), Middle High German reben (“to move about, dream, be confused”) (compare Alemannic German räbeln (“to make loud noise”)).
English dialect raves, or rathes (“a frame laid on a wagon, for carrying hay, etc.”).